‘Fix My Flip’: Page Turner Reveals One No-Brainer Upgrade Every Bathroom Should Get

‘Fix My Flip’: Page Turner Reveals One No-Brainer Upgrade Every Bathroom Should Get

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On her new show, “Fix My Flip,” Page Turner helps turn run-down houses into gorgeous homes that sell for a sizable profit. Yet as easy and fun as it might look on TV to renovate properties, Turner knows this is the exception rather than the rule.

“I’ve seen the costly mistakes flippers make,” she says. “And they keep losing money.”

In the episode “Two Bros With Tujunga Woes,” Turner comes to the rescue of Los Angeles brothers who have gotten themselves into a real fix. They paid $650,000—an incredible $72,000 over the asking price—for a sight-unseen house.

The 1,300-square-foot, three-bedroom, 1.5-bathroom property is a “diamond in the rough—and I do mean rough,” Turner says.

What’s more, the brothers—Anthony, a full-time real estate agent and part-time flipper, and Anton, the project manager—need to get the house remodeled and sold in 30 days, because hefty loan payments are due on the property.

They have a budget of $55,000 for the renovation, which Turner thinks is adequate since there’s no deep construction that needs to be done.

She tells them that, when they’re through, they can get at least $850,000 for the house. Her cut will be a percentage of anything they make over that figure. The brothers negotiate that percentage down from 50% to 30%, and then they’re off to the races, with Turner dishing out smart renovation advice along the way that you might be surprised to learn, too.

Beware of hard money loans

To buy this house, the brothers have borrowed money from a hard money lender who charges them $5,600 per month until they sell the house—hence the 30-day rush.

A hard money loan can also give the investor some say in how the project progresses. In this case, it was the investor who required the brothers to negotiate Turner’s cut.

Turner doesn’t say there’s anything wrong with hard money lenders, but viewers get the impression that a lot more pressure is involved with this type of loan. It’s important to not get in over your head.

Consult pros for a quick flip

With only 30 days to renovate this shabby property, time and skill are of the essence. So Turner knows these brothers need a team of go-to professionals they can count on.

“Part of my success comes from the team that I trust and respect,” Turner says, referring to her designer, Francesca Grace, and her contractor, Mitch Glew. They go through the house with her and make suggestions even she hasn’t thought of.

Always turn a half-bath into a full if you can

Turner believes that adding a shower and tub to the tiny half-bath will make a world of difference to buyers, so she persuades the brothers to take a little space from the adjacent oversized laundry room to add a shower and tub.

“There’s a half-bath, we have plumbing, we have space,” she declares. It’s a no-brainer and sets the stage for a more profitable flip.

Luxury vinyl planking is a flipper’s MVP

Anton suggests they replace the flooring with luxury vinyl planking.

“It looks like real wood but is less expensive, more durable, waterproof, and good for pets,” he explains.

Page absolutely agrees. “I see million-dollar-plus houses putting in this type of flooring,” she says.

Don’t do white on white

When Anthony suggests going white on white with all the finishes because it’s less expensive and appeals to a broader range of buyers, Turner balks.

“We can do something special in there and not make it so bland,” she says. “If we can add a little bit of spice, it might just make it a little more appealing. We’re not going to create a basic flip. … Buyers want to see that you have really put some thought into this house.”

So, as they look at tile and counter samples, the brothers end up accepting blue cabinets and lovely print tile for the bathroom floors. Once installed, they make these spaces look more special and less cookie-cutter.

Don’t overbuild for the neighborhood

Since the home is located in a more natural area without a lot of manicured landscaping, Turner suggests they keep the front yard and backyard simple.

“We’re in Tujunga. We’re right against the beautiful mountains, and I want to really play off that, instead of hardening that space up with concrete,” she says. “It’s such a cool house, but we don’t want to overbuild for the neighborhood. When you start adding pools and too much to the house, we’re outpacing ourselves for the neighborhood. You just let the next buyer do what they want to do and just give them a nice, clean slate to work with and just make it pretty.”

Don’t forget to budget for staging

Sellers often forget the importance of staging—and the cost.

“As a rule, I budget 1% or less of the home’s purchase price for staging,” says Turner.

Since the brothers purchased the home for $650,000, they end up spending $6,500 on staging. That might seem like a lot for a 1,300-square-foot house, but it makes all the difference.

Does Page Turner help fix this flip?

Tujunga real estate agent Arbi Sarkissian comes over to see the finished flip and is very impressed. He says he has buyers right now who will happily pay over $850,000 for it.

“Bring them over,” says Turner. He does, and they do.

The brothers end up selling the house for $900,000. After deducting all the expenses, the flippers make a $180,000 profit. Turner’s cut (30% of the $50,000 over $850,000) is $15,000—plus bragging rights, of course!

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